Postecoglou signed a two-year deal at the City Ground on September 9, following the departure of Nuno Espirito Santo, but soon found himself under pressure, with his own fans chanting ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ during a Europa League defeat at home to FC Midtjylland.
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The sacking – confirmed just 18 minutes after the whistle sounded on a 3-0 home loss to Chelsea – is the latest in a series of high-profile decisions made by Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis. Here, we chart a turbulent few months at the City Ground.
First signs of trouble for Nuno?
Was the writing on the wall for Nuno last season?
There were signs of friction in May, when Marinakis appeared to angrily confront Nuno on the pitch at the City Ground following a 2-2 draw against Leicester as Forest’s Champions League challenge was faltering.
Nuno put it down to “frustration” and “emotions” caused by an injury mix-up late in game involving Taiwo Awoniyi, who had remained on the pitch despite suffering an abdominal injury for which it was later revealed he required emergency surgery.
The club insisted there was “no confrontation” between Nuno and Marinakis and that it was “fake news” to suggest otherwise but the incident hinted at trouble ahead.
Nuno’s explosive interview set the tone
Tensions behind the scenes became public in August when Nuno gave his now infamous interview to Sky Sports in which he said Forest were “very, very far” from where they should be and that they had a “major problem” going into the season.
The comments, it soon transpired, were a thinly-veiled attack on Edu, the head of global football for all of Marinakis’ clubs who started in the role a month earlier. Sky Sports News reported Nuno’s bad relationship with Edu lay at the heart of the falling-out.
At the time of Nuno’s interview, Forest had only signed three players in Dan Ndoye, Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha, with Anthony Elanga sold to Newcastle for £55m.
“I am concerned, we are short on options,” added Nuno as he doubled down on his comments to Sky Sports in a press conference ahead of their season opener.
Forest won that opening game in convincing fashion, beating Brentford 3-1 at a buoyant City Ground.
There seemed to be progress off the pitch too as the club advanced on deals for Omari Hutchinson, Douglas Luiz, James McAtee and Arnaud Kalimuendo, with Callum Hudson-Odoi also verbally agreeing terms on a new contract.
But the mood remained sour between Nuno and the hierarchy.
The Portuguese’s outspoken interview had set the tone for what was to follow.
All change in 24 hours as Nuno out, Ange in
Nuno made more bombshell comments only a week after his first interview, claiming his relationship with Marinakis was “not the same” as in the previous season and saying “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” when asked about the threat of the sack.
Marinakis was reported to be baffled by the comments but Nuno hung on initially, with the Forest owner even saying Nuno was the “right man for the job” after learning the club’s Europa League opponents at the draw in Monaco on August 29.
Forest suffered a 3-0 loss at home to West Ham on August 31 in what turned out to be Nuno’s final game in charge. When he was sacked, midway through the subsequent international break, the club wasted no time in naming his successor.
Postecoglou’s appointment was confirmed barely 24 hours later, with ambitious Marinakis saying: “We are bringing a coach to the club who has a proven and consistent record of winning trophies.”
Asked if he could bring Forest a trophy in his first season, he joked: “I may have to, to have a second year here, mate.”
Ange pays price for historically bad start
Postecoglou could hardly have been handed a tougher first fixture than the trip to face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on September 13. It ended in a 3-0 defeat in which his Forest side only mustered one shot on target.
More worrying was that Forest proceeded to throw away leads in each of their next three games, suffering an embarrassing defeat to Swansea in the Carabao Cup, then drawing with Burnley in the Premier League and Real Betis in their Europa League opener.
Defeats to Sunderland and Midtjylland extended the winless run to six games, making it the worst start for a new Forest manager in 100 years as Postecoglou was booed by home fans at the City Ground and taunted with chants of “sacked in the morning”.
The subsequent trip to St James’ Park to face Newcastle was billed as being potentially decisive for Postecoglou and his Forest side went down meekly again, mustering a meagre 0.30 expected goals to the hosts’ 3.45 in a one-sided 2-0 defeat.
Speculation around his future swirled during the international break but Postecoglou continued to work as normal at the club’s training ground, before giving an extraordinary defence of his record in his press conference before the Chelsea game.
But the 3-0 home defeat proved to be one match too many for Postecoglou. Marinakis left his seat in the stands at 2-0 and had sacked his second head coach of the season within 20 minutes of the full-time whistle.
Work will now begin to find a third head coach of the campaign…
